EPC rule broken by top agents

Posted: 16/05/2012

It was only a matter of time before estate agents were found breaking the new Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rules since their launch in April this year.

There has been a lot of complaints made about the EPC regulations, one of the largest being the fact every residential EPC must show the full property address on the first page and must not, under any circumstances, be redacted. This sparked concern amongst agents worried about the confidentiality of their clients because the first page of an EPC must also be posted online with other written particulars.

Yet the Department of Communities and Local Government (CLG) insist that the property address must be shown on all residential EPC’s but agents are urging the CLG to reconsider this rule.

An agent has been found redacting the addresses of their clients from their EPC's which is breaching the Government’s rule. The CLG have stated the residential EPC must show the full address of the property to prevent fraudulent EPC’s and to make sure people can link an EPC with the correct property.

Unfortunately, concerns were raised about potential touting between estate agents and celebrity watchers could also use an EPC to find out which celebrity is selling their house.

The agents who are in breach of the regulation are the multi award winning Marsh & Parsons, who have not only been redacting their client's addresses but removing the EPC’s reference number as well. At present, they will not face prosecution and other estate agents found doing the same may escape being challenged at all.

A spokesman for the CLG spoke to Estate Agent Today and said, ‘Councils are responsible for enforcing EPC compliance and Trading Standards officers have discretion to determine the appropriate action in each case. This will range between providing information and assistance to issuing warnings or a penalty charge notice.’

The spokesman also underlined that legal action should be seen as a last resort and much of the Trading Standards enforcement activity is aimed to prompt those responsible for the EPC instead of immediately issuing a penalty notice.

Listed below are additional articles I have wrote whilst following the changes to the EPC;